A Feast Of Tradition Passover's Restrictions No Longer Mean Going Without

April 24, 1986|By Barbara Freitag, Special to The Sentinel

The festive Seder held in Jewish homes Wednesday night will be observed again tonight, commemorating with food and ritual the Israelites' flight to freedom after 200 years of Egyptian slavery. The celebration of their return to the promised land will continue for six more days, and food will be the focal point.

For Passover, traditional Jewish homes are emptied of all leaven, and dishes and utensils used throughout the year are stored and replaced by those reserved for Passover. Before the first Seder, the father performs the traditional cleansing, searching with a goose quill and wooden spoon for any crumbs of remaining leaven. It is customary to sell this last leaven, or ''chamitz,'' to a non-Jew, a procedure usually taken care of by the congregation's rabbi.

Because the Israelites left Egypt in such a hurry, there was no time to let bread rise; therefore, Jews eat only matzo or unleavened bread during Passover. Forbidden foods are anything containing baking soda, baking powder and yeast; legumes such as dried peas and beans (any food that can be fermented is against the rules); and grains. Although beliefs may vary among families and different sects of Judaism, these restrictions challenge a cook throughout the eight-day festival.

As common a staple as confectioners' sugar is banned -- it contains cornstarch. And all foods, with the exception of fresh produce, must bear the kosher-for-Passover stamp. Matzo meal, matzo meal cake flour and potato flour must replace the common grain-based flours.

But there's no reason to be intimidated by Passover restrictions. Grocery stores have abundant supplies of kosher-for-Passover goodies; this year, for the first time, there are even Manischewitz kosher-for-Passover chocolate bars available.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, with the exception of peas and beans, are good accompaniments for main dishes, and they provide a great opportunity to experiment with the interesting new vegetables showing up in supermarket produce departments.

Tradition is an important part of Jewish family life, and Passover foods and recipes often are handed down through the generations. I make a dish called matzobrei with beaten eggs, milk and matzo. I like it scrambled, liberally seasoned with salt and pepper and eaten with grape jelly on the side. My husband prefers his matzobrei fried like a pancake and served with sugar. The remembrance of these matzo-based dishes prepared the way you had them as a child is as much a part of the holiday as is cleaning the house and preparing the Seder.

I use more eggs during Passover than at any other time of year. They help unleavened cakes rise, bind together matzo puddings and pancakes and replace almost all breakfast alternatives.

But when your sweet tooth craves cake, cookies or chocolate, it is important to find acceptable and satisfying substitutes for flour-based items and non-Passover foods.

My Aunt Ethel makes a wonderful chocolate sponge cake. It's a perfect Passover treat either iced, served with fresh berries and ice cream or topped with gobs of whipped cream. Her cake recipe follows, along with my family recipes for matzobrei, charoses and a refreshing lemon jellyroll.

CHAROSES

1 apple unpeeled and chopped

1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Honey to taste

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Manischewitz Concord grape wine

Put all ingredients except wine in blender or food processor and mix. Slowly add wine and mix until desired consistency is reached.

Icing: Boil 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup orange juice until it spins a thread when dropped from a metal spoon. Beat 2 egg whites until they reach a stiff peak and slowly add to hot mixture until it reaches marshmallow consistency. Frost cooled cake, sprinkle with Passover confectioners' sugar or top with whipped cream.